Humidifier



A. B. MODINE `lune 13, 1933.

HUMIDIFIER FiledAPTl 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet Al OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO June 13, 1933. A. B. MoDlNE 1,913,942

HUMIDIFIER Fi1ed.Apri1 16, 1930 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented June 13, 1931? UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE ARTHUR B. MODINE, 0F RACINE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO lVIODINE MANUFACTUR- ING COMPANY, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSINA HUMIDIFIER Application filed Apri-1 1e,

The invention relates to humidifiers and primarily to devices of this character which are designed to moisten the air in a room or other compartment through the agency of heat supplied to a heat exchange device with which the humidifier is associated.

The invention has as its prime object the provision of a construction whereby Huid may be supplied for evaporation from a constant source of supply, the iiuid being supplied as consumed by evaporation.

It is another prime object of the invention to combine a construction such as that just referred to with a radiator or other heat exchange device.

The invention also has as an .object a con struction such as that above referred to 1n which the moistening fluid is fed. to a receptacle having combined vtherewith i means whereby, when theA receptacle is. filled to a predetermined level, the excess fiuld is' discharged therefrom and employed to actuate a mechanism for shutting off the supply to the receptacle, the mechanism being .automatically operable to again supply the receptacle with fiuid when the liquid level therein is reduced below the desired or normal level.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for regulating the amount of fluid y escaping from the sourcevof supply.

The invention has these and other objects, all of which will be more readily understood when read in conjunction with the accompanyingvdrawings which illustrate various arrangements which may be `resorted to, 1t being, therefore, obviousthat other changes and modifications may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit'of the appended claims forming a parthereof. y

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a heat exchange device mounted within a .cabinet and providing means for heating a room or other compartment; y

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 227-2 of Fig. 1 on a slightly enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1 also on al sligthly enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary rear elevation, paring the header 13.

1930. Serial No. 444,699.

fFig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 2 showing a modified arrangement `which may be emg ploy'ed; and

1g. 6 1s a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. f

As illustrated in the drawings,` the structure whereby the various above enumerated advantages are obtained is associated with a radiator generally'. designated 10 having a heatingfluid supply pipe 11 and a return pipe 12 connected therewith. The supply pipe 11 is connected with elements which, when associated with each other, provide what might be termed a header which is designated 13. The return rpipe 12 is connected with elements 14 which are similar in construction and function to the elements form- These headers 13 and 14 are connected witheach other through the medium of a plurality of tubular passages 15 whereby the steam or other heating fluid supplied from the supply 11 may circulate and eventually be discharged from the radiator through the return 12.

The radiator 10 may be mounted in a recess formed in a wall of a room or other compartment or may be housed within avhousing 16, the radiator generally designated l10` being arranged within the housing in spaced relation to the opposite upper and lower ends thereof so as to provide openings designated 17 and 18, through the former of which air may be introduced to the casing, be heated and circulated through the latter by convection. The radiator l0 may be formed of separate sections such as 19 or'may be of ari integral character. In either event, the rear face thereof will be provided withv one or morereceptacles such as'those designated 20 and 21. These receptacles are provided for Y.

the purpose of retaining a certain amount of liquid for evaporation by the application of heat applied by the radiator 10 to thus humidify the air contained in the room in which the structure is located. These receptacles 20 and 21 are supplied with fluid through the medium of a fluid supply pipe 22 which is connected to any suitable source of supply such as 23. A valve 24 is located between these supply pipe connections to provide means for controlling the flow 'of liquid through the. pipes 22 and 23. The upper extremity of the supply pipe 22 is provided with a valveA 3-5 which is employed to provide means for regulating the amount of liquid supplied to the receptacles such as 2O and 21. It will be noted that the outlet of the supply pipe 22 is located directly above the receptacle 20 and, therefore, when the valves 24 and 25 are open, liquid will be supplied to the receptacle |20 through the valve 25. A tubular connection 26 is formed between the receptacles 20 and 21 and one end such as 27 `of the tubular connection 26 terminates'below the edge of the receptacle 2O and, therefore, a certain prescribed amount'of liquid will be retained forevaporation Within this receptacle. It is manifest 'that when the amount and level of the liquid in the receptacle 2 0 isV in eXcess of a predetermined amount, that the excess liquid will then flow through the passage 26 int-o the receptacle 21. Another tubular passage designated 28 extends from the receptacle 21 to an element 29, the latter of which provides a chamber for the float 30. The tubular passage 28 extends into the receptacle 21 to adjacent the upper edge thereof and thereby provides a means whereby excess liquid contained in the receptacle 12 is permitted to escape therefrom into the float chamber 29. As the liquid level in the float chamber rises, the float 30 is actuated to close the valve 3l. This valve 31 is arranged in the upply pipe connection 22 and, therefore, When the liquid level in the chamber 29 reaches a required level, the valve 31 Will automatically be closed, shutting off the supplyof Huid to the uppermost receptacle 20, the receptacle 21 and also the float chamber 29. It is manifest that when the liquid level in the Hoat chamber 29 is reduced by evaporation, the valve 21 is again opened which will allow fluid to be again fed to the receptacles 20 and 21 and the float chamber 29.

llt is evident from the foregoing that the structure just described provides a means for automatically supplying and maintaining a certain prescribed amount of liquid 'for evaporation and humiditication from a constant source of supply.

The radiator or heat exchange device may be formed to provide an integral structure or may be formed of separate sections which are connected with each other to provide a unit formed of separate sections. lVhen the latter structure is employed, certain sections only may be provided with receptacles such as 20 and 21, it being understood that these receptacles may be cast integral with the sections designated 19.

To provide means for causing fiovv of liquid from one of the receptacles to another laterally arranged adjacent receptacle, certain of said receptacles are provided with communieating openings which provide means whereby the liquid may flow from one receptacle to an adjacent or laterally disposed receptacle. By referring to Fig. 3, it will be noted that when the heat exchange unit is composed of separate sections, certain ofthe sections only are provided with receptacles such as previously designated 20 and 2l. TWhen an arrangement such as this is resorted to, one of the receptacles is located in contacting relation to and in horizontal alignment with another and fluid from the supply pipe 22 is fed to one of the upper receptacles such as 33. @ne wall such as 32 of the receptacles 33'is arranged in contacting relation to a wall such as 32 of an adjacent receptacle such as 34 which, in turn, is arranged in a similar manner to the receptacle 36. Means is provided for supplying theyreceptacles such as 34 and'36 with liquid from the receptacle 33. This means, in the present instance, is designated 57 and 58 and consists of openings which form a communication between the receptacles 33, 34 and 36. lVhen this last mentioned arrangement is resorted to, the

endmost receptacle such as 36 is provided with a discharge pipe or passage such as 26 through which excess liquid is fed therefrom to receptacle 37 located immediately below the receptacle 36. It is understood that receptacles 38.` and 39 similar to those designated 33 and 34 are located immediately beloW these last mentioned receptacles and each is provided with a passage such as 40 and 41 whereby the liquid may flow from one to the other of said receptacles in the manner above referred to. A discharge pipe 28 eX- tends from one of the lower receptacles such as 39 to the oat chamber 42 which will cause operation of a float controlled valve in the manner hereinbefore referred to.

It is /understood that for simplicity of manufacture, certain of the radiator sections may each be provided with an element which forms a chamber, one of which provides a float chamber or a section including several heating fluid passages and super-posed receptacles 2() and 2l and float chamber ma)v be employed. The elements forming the receptacles generally designated 20 and 2l are respectively designated 42. 43 and 44 and are provided with communicating openings 45 and'46 whereby liquid introduced to the float is located in this supply pipe and said valve is controlled through the agency of a float 51, the latter of whichl is located within a trough 52 forming a receptacle for the excess liquid discharged from the nozzle 53. The arrangement just referred to contemplates the discharge of fluid from the nozzle in an upv wardly direction directly against the rear face of the heat exchange unit 54 which will cause evaporation of a portion of the liquid which is discharged through the opening 55 into the room or compartment in which said `the pipe 48 and the nozzle 53 until the water contained in the receptacle 52 has evaporated sufficiently to again lower the float 51. When the float is lowered the valve 50 is opened which again allows fluid to be introduced to the pipe or passage 48 from which it is ejected through lthe nozzle 53.y A damper 56 may be provided 'to control the passage of Vheated air from the device and said damper may be actuated either: manually or automatically. When it is desired to operate the damper automatically, a thermostat 57 hav- I claim and desire to cover by Letters\Patlent is:

' water absorbent or retaining material which p y will give off moisture as heat is applied.

From the foregoing description ofy the invention, it is manifest that a construction is provided whereby moisture is intermittently supplied from a constant source offluid supply and that the structure includes automatically operable means to control the How" of fluid from the source to the receptacles forming part of the humidifier. It is also manifest that the utilization of a` valve or other mechanism such as 25 provides means vfor regulating the amount'of liquid or fluid fed to the receptacles in which latter the liquid is retained for evaporation.

Having thus described the invention, what 1. In a device of the kind described the combination of a member providing a wall of a vertically arranged heat conducting 'air duct having an air inlet opening at onevend for a heatingv medium and being provided with a liquid receptacle which projects from one face of said member into said vertically arranged air duct. j

2. In a device of the kind described the combination of a member providing a wall of a vertically arranged heat conducting air duct, said member being provided with apassage for a heating medium the passageI being arranged longitudinally of said duct and being provided with a liquid receptacle which projects fromone face of said member into said vertically arranged air duct, and means for supplying liquidrto said receptacle and -automatic means for controlling said supply.

3. In a device of the kind described the combination of a member providing a wall of a heat conducting air duct, elements providing liquid receptacles formed integral with said member, a second member providing a fluid passage from one receptacle .tc the other, Vmeans for supplying liquid to one of said receptacles, and means in one of said receptacles controlled by the liquid level in said receptacle for controlling the supply of 'fluid to said receptacles.

4. A member adapted to provide an element of a wall of a casing,r said' wall being comprised of a pluralityof said members, each of said members having a fluid passage which extends longitudinally of said member, the opposite ends of said fluid passage being providedA with tubular portions adapted to be connected with a similar portion of an adjacent member and one of said members having receptacles provided thereon extending from one face thereof, means for supplying liquid to one of said receptacles, an element' providing a liquid passageyfrom one receptacle to the other and means provided in one of said receptacles for controlling said sup- 5. Ina 'device of the kind described the combination of a casing, a member providing a wall of said casing and located relatively to the opposite` ends of the casing to provide an opening adjacent the opposite ends of the casing, said member having a receptacle projecting from oneface thereof into said casi-ng, a receptacle, means for supplying fluid to said first mentioned receptacle, a connection betwensaid receptacles whereby fluid may circulate from said firstinentioned receptacle to 'the second mentioned receptacle and means for controlling flow of fluid lto said first mentioned receptacle, said means portions providing said Huid passages being 4i f I 1,913,942

provided with tubular portions adapted to be connected with similar portions ofadjacentmembers, certain of said members having elements providing receptacles, means providing a connection between receptacles of adjacent; members, means for supplying fluid to one of said receptacles and a member providing a iuid passage between receptacles of one of said members and means provided in one of said receptacles for controlling flow of Huid through saidsupply.

7. In a device of the kind described the combination of a member adapted to provide a wall .of a heat conducting air duct, said member `being provided with a passage for a heating medium and being provided with a plurality of receptacles for liquid, the receptacles being arranged upon one side of said member to project into said air duct, a member providing a iuid connection between said receptacles and one of said receptacles providing means for the reception of an element for controlling flow of liquid to said receptacles.

8. In a device of the kind described the combination of a member providing a wall of a heat conducting air duct, said member being provided with a passage for a heating medium and beingY provided with a liquidA receptacle which projects from one face o'f said member into said air duct and healt radiating tins projecting from said member into said air duct.

9. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a member adapted to provide a wall of a vertically arranged heat conducting casing having an air inlet opening adjacent the lower end and an air outletopening adjacent the upper end, said member having an element providing a passage for a heating medium, means for supplying moisture, said means including a fluid passage associated with said member, a receptacle arranged relativelxv to said member to receive moisture discharged from said passage, and means in said receptacle for controlling said means 'for supplying said moisture.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribeA my name this 27th day of March A. DL, 1930.

ARTHUR B. MODINE. 

